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Thanks for your question. In order to best help you, I need to ask a few questions.

How old is Pookie?

Has she ever laid eggs before?

Can you take a picture of her droppings and post it? (use the tree icon on the tool bar - 2 icons to the right of the happy face). If not, please describe it in more detail i.e. is the green/brown portion more increased or is the white and liquid portion increased?

Thanks for the added info. Since you say that the droppings are mostly water, then this is likely an increase in urine (polyuria). There are many causes for this and can include, but aren't limited to, reproductive activity, renal disease, malnutrition, toxin exposure, and diabetes.

Cockatiels are the birds that we can commonly see egg laying in, even without having a male around. Often before they produce an egg, they will have a change in the droppings -it becomes larger and more wet. So, please watch her over the next couple of days as if she is going to lay an egg it will be soon. Please watch her for any signs of pushing, straining, breathing changes or being down at the bottom of the cage. If you see anything abnormal, she will need to be seen by a vet ASAP.

If she is only a seed eater, then she is likely malnourished. Malnourishment can cause many health issues including renal issues. I would highly recommend that you work on her diet if needed. She should be eating primarily a pelleted diet, then healthy veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, dark greens. Seeds would then become a smaller (10-15%) of her diet. This is obviously a long term issue to work on. Here is some information. See:

Diabetes is not the common in birds , but it is most likely to be seen in cockatiels. They often drink more and then urinate more. Please monitor her water intake over the next 24 hours. Measure the amount of water you put in her water cup, 24 hours later, measure the remaining water and calculate the difference. The difference will be the amount consumed. Obviously this won't be accurate if she takes a bath in her dish :) Please let me know what the amount consumed is.

Review her cage and he surroundings and make sure there isn't anything metal she could have chewed on. If you find anything, please save it and make a vet visit as metal toxicity is quite serious.

Diarrhea is very uncommon in birds so please do not use any over the counter product as these are generally unsafe and not effective.

So to review, observe for signs of possible impending egg laying, measure water intake, review caging, work on diet (long term). Depending on what you find out, she may need to be seen by a vet so if you don't know of one, you can search this website. There are quite a few in FL. See:

You are probably right in the diet area. I try to give her the various vegis birds like her are suppose to like and she will not even look at them, however, she gobbles up bamboo leaves if I let her!!! She will also eat my orchid leaves if I let her. Her food is mostly seeds but some grains and a few pellets. She will devower potato chips and bread crumbs(we very seldom have potato chips)and. crackers. Thank you for the above info.

It's great that she will try some leaves. You may want to weave some dark green leafy greens through her cage bars to see if she will try them that way. Those other foods are not good (chips and crackers) and unfortunately they often like them as much as we do. I would not give those to her but maybe one little bit every now and then.

The bird food company I gave you the link for (Harrisons), also has a bird bread product that can help with transitioning to new food.

Thank you for your reply. Water intake has not changed, but willnot give her anymore chips. Thank you for all the good suggestions. She is an adorable little thing and I will work on changing her diet. She pretty much has the run of our home but there is considerable damage to some of our furniture!!! I just cannot see keeping her caged up. Thanks again, Jimmie Rusk

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